Victor of the people
by mockingjay777
Summary: Since Peeta dies in the 74th Hunger Games, there was no talk of rebellion. But when Rhys and his sister Rosie lose their family, Rhys tries to protect the people of 12 as much as he can, even at the promise he made 8 years ago that he will go into the quell at 18 years of age. they however, dont mention who they would make go with him. fluff and sadness. HG tributes from 1st film
1. Prologue

Prologue:

He was having a wonderful day, the young boy with his aunt and sister. They went to the meadow near the fence of their district, 12, and had a picnic, and went home.

Only their home wasn't there.

"RHYS! ROSIE!" the son turned towards the source of the noise and saw their cousin, Peeta. "Get over here kids." their uncle was there now, clasping Peeta's hand so tightly it hurt. "why cant they go home Ryan?" the boys aunt was looking, as usual, like she had some rather unpleasant smell drifting into her nose as she caught sight of her ex-husband and her son.

"T-Their house..." the man could not go any further, but pulled the 7 year old Rhys into a hard embrace, tears dripping down his face.

"What happened uncle Ry?" the young child was confused, he'd never seen his uncle sad before.

"Yo-Your parents loved you... you know that, kiddo?" the man was stuttering, barely able to get his words out, but his sharp ex-wife picked it up before the children and lets out a horrified gasp.

"Please t-tell me they aren't... But I can't look after two children!" the aunt is now in hysterics, but the children are confused, why would their aunt need to look after them? Their parents were just a mile away.

"WHAT?! that's all you can think about. Your own hardships? WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU LILLITH!..." the man lets out a shuddering breath to calm himself. "These children are now parent-less and your just worr- Rhys! Where are you going!?"

the young boy hardly heard him though. His uncle had said 'parent-less'. Why had he said that? Young Rhys didn't have long to find out, because he turned the corner to his parents hardware shop and let out a scream.

His house was ablaze with fire.

Rhys screamed and yelled and cried. He couldn't stop if he wanted to. A healer came to him amongst the crowd that had gathered to watch his house burn. With her husband they soothed with nice words and herbal tea until he fell asleep.

When Rhys woke up he was in the place that had terrified him to look at to this very day, with his 1- year old sister in the cot next to him.

The district 12 community home, where the children had hunched shoulders and all the goodness was sapped out of them.

He may have been only 7, but he made a vow that day to not let that happen to them, and a promise he never forgot.

His sister would never see fire like that again.


	2. Chapter 1: A not so average day

Chapter 1:

"Rhys? Are you okay? Wake up!"

I groan as I sit up slowly, stretching my muscles as I go. I search the room for my sister, who proves to be a better alarm clock than technology when I am having one of my nightmares. Shes sat cross legged on the floor near my head.

"Did you have another bad dream?" I nod, already regretting worrying her with my moaning sounds that I've been told I make when having a nightmare.

Rosie doesn't remember the fire like I do. She was only 1 year old when it happened, and I was 7. she isn't tormented by nightmares that a person weak and shaking, drenched in sweat.

"you had to wake me up now?" I say, glancing at the clock, "i couldn't of had 5 more minutes at least?" joking always seems to work on Rosie in the morning, and in turns wake me up even more as her giggles sound through the room.

My sister still retains the cuteness of a sleeping child, even while awake. She has wispy golden hair that falls down way past her waist, ending in little dips of chocolate brown, something I've never seen on anyone but her. Her eyes are probably the strangest, but most adorable eyes I've ever seen, both literally being two colours at once like mine, having blue on the outside of the iris, but going more green the closer to the pupil it gets. She is very short, even for a twelve year old, only coming up to my hips, only just being able to touch my elbows with her arms fully stretching up. She couldn't tip a scale at 40 kilos.

"No, you told me to wake you up at 4 o'clock, that's what you said, it was!" Rosie looks like she might cry, so my joking mood instantly falters. "I'm sorry Rosie, you're right, I have a very busy day today, thank you for waking me up kiddo" Rosie gives me a bright smile and starts to trace my duvet pattern with her fingers.

"Now, you know the rules when I'm not here don't you?" My little sister would never forget them but I always feel the need to make sure, over-protective brother instincts I guess.

As I get out of the shower I check the mirror with a sideways glance. My hair, while plastered on my head and over my face, is vivid blonde, much brighter than my sisters, but only long enough to reach my eyebrows. My eyes also have two colours, starting red then getting more and more orange the closer to the pupil it gets. Unlike my sister, I'm extremely tall for my age, roughly 6' 8 at only 18 years of age, not to mention I'm built like an ox, heavily muscled and broad-shouldered. My skin looking golden in its dripping wet state.

This day is going to be great, with one exception. I'm breaking up with my girlfriend today. even though she was always there to comfort me when I needed it, and I always reciprocated, I've never felt a throbbing in my heart when we're part, or a catch in my throat when we kiss. We never had sex either, even though she wanted it, still does I guess. But it's not fair to her that I keep pretending I'm in love with her, because Delly Cartwright was never girlfriend material, at least not for me.

But before any of that, I have a list of things to do in my head, and the first one on my list as always, is go hunting.

I dry myself off and get changed into my hunting attire before leaving mine and Rosie's house. After the fire that destroyed my parents and our house in town, we were put in the community home, but when I turned 18, which was almost 3 months ago now, I got myself a house on the borders of the seam and the town as I refuse to conform to any kind of segregation, and petitioned for custody of Rosie, which was too easy really, considering I had effectively been her father from the day of the fire. That was the way things worked in the community home, 'look after your own', so I did, and I still am.

After I get to the meadow and stop to just look at the scenery for a while. The way the mountains in the distance were covered in thin mist and the woods had a sheen to them from the early morning sun rise. I always thought that even though w were the poorest district we were also the richest, we had the most _vibrant_, _beautiful_ views of nature I had ever seen.

When I get out into the woods I finally let myself breathe. The woods make everything better for me, they're the only place I can show everything I am to the world. I am a hunter. A ruthless killer with no thoughts of the pain of animals.

And I'm not the only one either.

As I go to retrieve my weapons from the inside of a hollow tree I found 4 years ago, a voice creeps into my ears.

"You know, stealing is punishable by death, Rhys."

I turn around instantly my mouth stretches into a smirk. "Maybe, but they are _my weapons_, Gale." I walk and embrace him with a brotherly hug, because that's basically what we are. Brothers.

"Whatever, doesn't mean I'm wrong. Lets just go hunt, I need to talk to you after as well." I nod, and we set off at an utterly silent jog, with me killing almost every animal without even stopping with my knives, bow and axes for the larger animals, and Gale picking off the rest with his bow.

Within two hours, it's clear that Gales distracted and we wont get much more done, so as we have more than enough than to be getting on with, we sit and skin our kills while I wait for Gale to start talking.

"I want to know _why_ Katniss is _still _depressed over Peeta, I mean, it was months ago! Surely she isn't still angry with herself for what she did, so what is it!?" It takes all of my restraint not to punch Gale in the jaw, I know he isn't as clever as Katniss or myself, but even Rosie figured it out for gods sake! Not to mention Peeta was my cousin, and he talks about it like Katniss shouldn't regret killing one of her best friends relatives.

Still, I force myself to calm down as I know he really hasn't done all the working as he continues to talk, now sounding close to tears. "I-I don't know what to do Rhys... She's so out of it so often, and there's nothing anyone can do about it but hope when she seems normal, it stays that way"

I decide to tell him what he's obviously to love-struck and sad to figure out "She loved him Gale, it took him... dying to realize it. And she might never get over it but-"

"Get over what?" Katniss's voice rings out from behind me, emanating anger as it always does when she hears us talking about her. Gale obviously was obviously too distracted to be aware of her presence, like I was.

I slap an easy smile on my face and say "Well that depends on how much you heard Miss Everdeen." I wink in her direction, as I always do, but I know that hasn't worked since she became victor of the 74th hunger games, since she killed the district 2 boy, josh, and thresh from district 11 single-handed whilst overcome with rage. Rage that grew from anger when she arrived back from the feast to find my cousin Peeta's dead body, the body of the boy she had loved since I introduced the two when we were 13. Peeta was going to propose to her on the night of the reaping as well, with a ring I now have to regard as my own. A silver band with the golden words _Simul in vita, Simul in morte_ which is in an old language from before the dark days called Latin. Where he learned Latin I don't know, but he knew it meant _ Together in life, Together in death. _It was in his will that should he die before it is given to her, that it would be passed down to me until I find a woman to give it to. As such, the ring stays on my finger at all times and Katniss does not know what the ring was for, lest it increase her grief.

"That's all I heard 'she might never get over it', what were you talking about Rhys?" It kills me that her voice has stayed monotone all the time she's been here.

"we were just talking about how you might never get over the fact that I'm _still _better with a bow than you or Gale" I laugh, partly fake and partly because it always amazes me how quick of a thinker I am.

"Whatever, I haven't even shot a bow since..." she looks away but her voice stays steady when she finally finds her voice again "... Since the Games."

I look at her, desperate for something to say to take the pain away, but Gales big mouth take the first try.

"Hey, remember that time me, you, Rhys and Pee-" Gale suddenly stops, realizing what he's said, but before he can get another word in, tears are leaking out of Katniss's Grey eyes and shes walking briskly away, hands over her ears, warding off Gales idiotic words. He really needs to think before he speaks sometimes.

I don't even look at Gale before I am jogging after Katniss, quickly catching up, I see she's shaking heavily and trying to choke back tears, I put an arm around her shoulders and lead her towards her house in the Victor's village. She doesn't try to shrug me away when we finally get inside her house, instead finally lets out a loud sob and crumples next to me.

Without thinking, I scoop her up, marveling how little she weighs before putting her on the couch, pulling up a chair and stroking her hair while she continues to sob. The silence in the rest of the house is message enough to know her mother and Primrose aren't here.

This girl, this beautiful, terrific, clever girl broken by the Hunger Games like nearly every victor, well maybe not those from the career districts, but the rest of the victors were left like this, but Katniss's suffering outweighs them all. I can only hope the Games don't take another of my friends into hteir jaws, or I might just lose it myself. My cousin Peeta, my best friend Katniss and my friend Aaron, a tribute nine years ago have all fallen prey to the Games.

It takes nearly an hour until Katniss finally stops sobbing, and through the whole time I have not moved from my position on the chair, nor have I stopped stroking her hair either. She looks at me for a few seconds before launching into my arms, not quite crying but trembling with sadness. I just hold her and whisper soothing words in her ears while she keeps her death grip on me.

When she lets go, she appears slightly better, so I decide to go with the most obvious question.

"Are you okay?" Its all I can manage.

When she speaks, it's shaky but strong, "I think I'm better now, thanks for being my sponge" she says while indicating my tear covered jacket she cried into while I took her home.

I laugh lightly, " I think that's okay Kat, your eyes needed it more than my body did, but could you wash it for me anyway?" it was meant to sound playful but Katniss just nods looking guilty and I instantly regret my words.

I decide to change the subject to one I know she will be happy about, "So guess what I'm doing later?" she raises her eyebrows, "I'm breaking things off with Delly." She tries not to look to happy but fails to keep the smile that forces its way onto her face. Her and Delly haven't been friends, well, ever really. Delly tied to make Katniss like her when we started dating 3 years ago but failed miserably in a tale I tell Rosie if she's feeling sad, it always makes her laugh.

"Aw, that's terrible Rhys, why?" She still can't keep the smile off of her face and I know why. Katniss and I are like the annoying sibling to each other, always teasing about boyfriends and girlfriends and play fighting when the mood strikes us. But at the same time we would do anything for each other, and we had done a hell of a lot over the 6 years we have known each other, when she met me and Gale while hunting. We were a weird bunch, the 12 year old hunter with her friends, the 14 year old trapper that was Gale, and the nearly 14 year old who was good at just about everything to do with killing and survival that was me. We grew extremely close over the years and trusted each other completely by the time I turned 15.

"I'm not going to stay in a relationship that's completely one sided" I'm choosing my words carefully so as not to set Katniss off again, luckily she just keeps smiling.

"Thank god, she was so _annoying, _definitely not true love_"_" I laugh as katniss makes an irritated expression as though remembering her voice, but her expression quickly falls.

"I had true love once" Her face is set as if she is determined to say this, my face also morphs into a encouraging expression. I want her to go on, she needs to get this out, no matter much I didn't want to hear her talk about my cousin.

"He said he loved me, Rhys... He had been saying it for 2 years and I was always saying it back." her eyes have started to fill with tears, but her face and voice have not changed. I don't move a muscle, afraid she'll run away if I make a sudden movement. She continues, " He promised me he would never leave, and I believed him Rhys, I believed him every time he said it." I'm getting the feeling this is the calm before the storm, and I've never been so sad to be right. "HE LIED! HE LEFT ME AND ALL I HAVE LEFT IS THE WHAT-IFS AND WHAT COULD HAVE BEENS, I FEEL DEAD, RHYS!"

Her tears finally spill over so I take her in my arms again and wait for her eyes to dry out. Again. But I don't leave. I don't want to leave, not when she needs me. But it kills me to know I can't help in any way other than holding her.

It's about 2 hours later I make my way to the bakery, the last place on my minds list before I have to break things off with Delly.

I take a deep breath before into my uncle's bakery. The place seems dead now, Peeta's father and brothers never stopped grieving and by the time they did, the place was too far gone, now they just live here. Nobody visits anymore, not now nearly the whole town has offered their condolences to the family of three. The only visitors are myself and occasionally Gale when he comes to trade squirrels for bread. When our house burnt down we were offered the opportunity to come and live here instead, but I decided not to, I never wanted to burden them. I'm glad I did too ,or we would have to live in this. A place that looks so sad even from the outside that Rosie nearly cries whenever we pass it in the street, and I hate to see my little sister cry, so I haven't been around much.

"Who's there?" a voice calls out from the kitchen, I answer with my name and a man runs out, embracing me in a tight hug.

"Hey uncle Ryan, where are Rye and Wheat?" I ask, extracting myself from my uncles grasp.

"Moved out, where the hell have you been?" My uncles eyes are wide, he really thought I'd known.

"Where? I'll go see them when I leave." I gave my uncle a small smile but he doesn't return it, he looks so dejected and useless it's painful to see.

"You can't, Wheat's a capitol envoy now, so he's there" Uncle Ryan's eyes harden for a moment "and Rye says he doesn't want to see anyone, including me" he sighs and pulls out a stool to sit on before he turns to me with sad eyes, "you can go now Rhys, it was nice to see you" My uncles then looks away and doesn't move until I;'m out of the bakery and on my way down the street to Delly's house.

I'm confused, why didn't he want to talk to me? I know I wasn't around much after Peeta died but they weren't the only ones grieving, I was helping comfort the Hawthornes, the Everdeens, and my little sister Rosie. I was sorry I didn't get to say that but by the looks of it he didn't want to listen to me.

I find my self at Delly's a few minutes later, still so lost in thought I didn't really register being pulled into her house and dragged to her room. Nor am I really glad that she's here, given I'm about to crush her, even if I don't want to which I don't. But I don't want to keep living a lie either so I say it in the worst possible way. Not intentionally but still.

"Delly, stop, I can't do this any more" Her hands stop half way down my shirt, having been unbuttoning it without my knowledge.

"What are you talking about?" she stares up at me, with her blue eyes and blonde hair glistening on the sunlight.

"This, Delly. Us. I can't do 'this' any more," I say as gesture between us with my hand, "I'm sorry I don't want to hurt you but-" I'm cur off by Delly's hand slapping me full across the face. After the pain is gone I look and see that the ever-cheerful Delly Cartwright is crying, actually _crying_. I've only ever seen her cry twice before; at her fathers funeral and again at Peeta's. I didn't realize she was so invested in this relationship, and I feel bad for ever thinking she just wanted to get in my pants like I'd assumed when we first got together and she'd r=tried ripping my clothes off multiple times.

"Why?" Her voice is so small, so broken that I nearly cringe. This is the third person i've made cry today, first Katniss with a stupid choice of words, my uncle, with my ignorance, and now Delly, with my honesty. Seriously, I could just not say the right thing today? The only people I never made a mistake with, _ever_, were my sister. And Peeta...

Peeta would know exactly what to say now, know exactly how to make her understand that while I didn't love her, I cared about her so much and I never wanted to hurt her or anyone else.

But I'm not Peeta. Words are not my speciality. Killing is.

So I leave and don't look back.

When I get home, Rosie bounds downstairs from her room and straight into my arms, and all the stress and worry from the day is instantly melted away as I breathe her in, content with the one thing in my life I never managed to ruin. And I never will either.

A couple of hours later, after I've finished washing and drying up from our dinner of venison and lamb stew, the phone rings. A phone that only two people use, one of which is Katniss, and I really hope it's her today.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Jacobs?"

My blood freezes

"Hello President Snow"


	3. Chapter 2: From comforting to cocky

**A/N **

**Hi guys, this is my first AN of this story and not the last but I figured you might want to start getting previews of the chapters after this one so that'll go on the bottom.**

**I'm extremely pissed off right now but I will try and not let it affect my writing, R+R if you want**

_As I walk into the community home I now regard as my rightful place, I notice a posh black car in front of the gate. At least I think it's a car, I've never seen one before. This has to be the President of Panem who comes to each districts community home to check on us every other year, except last time I was away at the Hawthornes for the weekend so I wasn't there._

_I had been thinking for months now how to get better living quality for us in district 12, and I eventually decided to try and make a deal with President Snow, even though my hopes were not up. As if the _President_ of Panem would listen to a 10 year old orphan. But I had to try, I owed it to the people here._

_I told the head of the home to ask the President to see me separately from the rest of the children, for no other reason than I didn't want to sound weak in front of the kids who think they own the place._

_I enter the home and am instantly grabbed by a capitol attendant who gently leads me into my own room where I see the man who I've only ever seen on television._

_President Snow._

_He looks up and greets me with a warm smile that I only just manage to returns. "Ah, you must be Mr. Jacobs, yes?" Yeah, because he totally didn't know that already._

"_President Snow, it's an honor to meet you", I take a seat across from him and wait for him to continue talking, when he does, it's in a carefully measured voice. "I'm here because you have a proposition for me, so please, let us not dill-dally, what do you want from me?"._

_This is it. "I'd like to offer a deal that would benefit the both of us," he does not look up from his fingers, "It involves you Hunger Games, or specifically, Your Quarter Quells." That got his attention, he is now staring at me intently, a cold smile gracing his face._

"_Oh, and what business does a 10 year old boy have with my Quarter Quell?"_

"_I plan to be a tribute for it."_

_President Snow's composure finally breaks. He gives a slight chuckle, as if questioning my sanity, which of course, I was doing as well._

"_I don't see why I need to need to know that, so what do you get out of it?" Snow looks at me curiously, I don't look away but keep my gaze steady as I prepare for rejection, "I would like the opportunity to help my district in whatever way I see fit, and right now that would involve, when I turn 12, being able to take out tesserae for other people as well as myself and my sister, and to hunt in the woods to bring in game for anyone who wants it. And if I could hunt, I would get strong, and spice up your games by being the first tribute to ever get a 12 in training." I smirk at ,my own confidence, and am surprised to see Snow actually contemplating my offer. Maybe my offer to volunteer, most like to my own death, has given him something to think about._

_The President suddenly looks behind me, I follow his gaze and see my sister Rosie being pushed into the room._

"_Rosie! Go back outside, I'm talking to the nice the nice man, and when he leaves you can come back okay?" my voice is stern, almost father-like, so she listens in silence and darts back out of the room._

"_Ah, so that's your sister is it?" I nod, waiting for him to continue._

"_... Very well, you will not be reprimanded for taking extra tesserae rations or hunting outside of the fence, and in turn you will jot be reaped in any Hunger Games until the Quell, in which you will volunteer for the Boy tribute of that year, clear?"_

_I nod hastily, this was more than I had ever hoped for, this was everything to me._

"_but should you not volunteer for the Quarter Quell, I believe your sister and fiends may not be very happy with you, as you would be the reason for their deaths."_

_I stare at the President. He's threatening my sister and my friends. Not that I had any plan of not volunteering anyway, but now my hands are tied to it. I find myself incapable of speech so I just nod again and shake his hand when he offers it._

"_Goodbye Mr. Jacobs"_

_with that he left._

_I was lucky I could hunt pretty well for someone of my age already, and with more practice I could become deadly. When I turned 12 I would take out tesserae rations for a many people as needed, they need only ask._

The memory flashes through me like it always does when he phones me, which annually one month before the reaping exactly.

"How have you been Mr. Jacobs, I trust district 12 is still flourishing under your watchful eye?"

"Yes sir, the starvation rate has gone down another 15% since the last time we spoke, and the tesserae rations are helping the families in the seam. I would again like to thank you for your cooperation I my endeavor." I hear him chuckle into the phone.

"Please, it was my pleasure, it made me look good s I didn't see why not." I wait for him to continue. "I am here of course, because the time of the Quarter Quell is soon, one month precisely, so that means the reading of the card is tonight, and in one month you will be on a train to the Capitol, wont you?"

"Of course sir, I never forgot the terms of our arrangement." Charm, my greatest weapon that worked on all but my close friends, would not work here, so I just agree.

"I have decided you need some more motivation to get you in the mood."

"Please Mr Pres-"

"If you lose this Quell your sister may not like want to be alone." Why? Why is my sister being dragged into this again?

"She will commit _suicide_ Mr Jacobs"

and just like that my world crumbles into a shaking mass, or is that me? I think it's me, but Snows voice is all that gets through to me even after he hangs up.

_Suicide_, that's what he said, but that just means he'll have her killed.

This Quarter Quell is now bigger than a fight for survival to me.

It's a fight for my family.

Later that night, Rosie and I go to district 12's only other victor, Haymitch Abernathy's house, to watch the reading of the card, and all the while I'm thinking of the best ways to make sure I win these games and how to tell Haymitch he might have to watch me die.

Haymitch and I became close when my friend Aaron went into the games 9 years ago. Haymitch had always blamed himself for his tributes dieing, hence the reason for his drinking. And I found it ridiculous, it wasn't his fault he couldn't protect them and Katniss helped prove me right. Rosie and I started a routine after I met him for the first time, of going to his house four times a week. Rosie would keep him in a happy mood and they would chatter endlessly while I did odd jobs around the house or talked as well. None of that could compare to our greatest achievement.

We managed to get him sober.

It took almost a year for us to do it, and occasionally Haymitch will drink again, but I'm always there to make sure he only has half a bottle of white liquor at most, and only once a month. I basically became the son he never had, Rosie the daughter. He didn't seem to mind either.

We get to the door and knock. I barely get a third knock on the door when it opens and Rosie jumps into his arms, giggling like mad.

"Hey Rosie, hows my favorite girl doing? Hmm?" Haymitch is all smiles when Rosie's around. And she loves it.

"I'm okay Haymitch, I went to Lisa's house and we played 'tag', then Rhys came and got me and we came here!" Rosie sounds like the day was the best thing since sliced bread, but Haymitch just laughs, "That's great, sweetie, now go and watch T.V while I talk to Rhys a minute, okay?" Haymitch was still light, but I knew he was mad at me. I'd called him this morning, finally telling him how I was so 'sneaky' that I never got caught with extra tesserae or dead game. And he was spitting mad, not at what I'd done, he was proud of me, but because I hadn't told him.

"Okay!" Rosie skips into the living room and Haymitch turns to me with anger in his eyes and i'm immediately wary.

"outside, now." Haymitch's voice is a low growl, and while I could probably kill him with bpoth hands tied behind my back, he was definitely the dominant one in our relationship. I rarely did anything to piss him off. Not because I was scared, but because he's the closest thing to a father I have, and I don't want to disappoint him.

When we're out in the middle of the Victor's village, he turns to face me.

"What the hell, kid? How could you never tell me?" he no longer seems angry, just exasperated and he looked upset, which I expected and understood.

"What would you have said if I did Haymitch?" I counter. I knew he would ask and the answer has been in my mind since the conversation with the President, because what _could _he have done, really? There was no way he could talk me out of it and he knows it would be useless to try.

"I wouldn't have had to say anything! I could have been there for you like you were there for me, kid! I would have been able to help you train for the Quell, I could have given you years of training for this! I could-"

"Haymitch, stop!" My father figure stares at me, and now realize he has the beginning of tears in his eyes, a rare occurrence. The only other time I ever remember him crying was when Peeta died in the Last games.

I walk forwards and pull him into a close hug, and Haymitch reciprocates, but will not cry. I say into his ear "This is why I didn't say anything, Haymitch. I never wanted you caught up in this. I mean, what if Snow found out you were training a tribute? He would _not_ be happy, he would take it out on Rosie and we both know it." Haymitch stiffens at my mention of my sister, and nods into my shoulder before pulling away. It turned out a lot of his arrogance was alcohol induced, who knew?

We go back into the house and sit with Rosie just as the anthem of the capitol blares out and President Snow stands on the stage, a card gripped I his hand. He reads the previous themes of Quells. In the first, the districts had to elect their tributes, this seemed to me like it would have been a good one to watch, honestly. All those strong tributes, and especially weak ones too, T.V gold. And the second, the last one, the one Haymitch won, where there were twice the number of tributes. I've seen the tapes of this games after asking Haymitch if I could, and it turned out that Haymitch had grown rather _attached_ to one of our female tributes, Maysilee Donner. He eventually told me that they were a couple before he found someone else about a year before the games.

Now the announcement of this years Quarter Quell, _my _Quarter Quell, the one I had to take by storm in order to save my sister.

"The Treaty of Treason states, that on the 75th year of the Hunger Games, the 3rd Quarter Quell, children and adults ages 8-22 will be reaped from the districts, as a reminder to the rebels that none are ever truly safe, no matter the age, innocence or guilt."

Haymitch's eyes harden, as do mine. Sending older people to the Games is one thing, but children? The capitol must be pulling out all the stops this year. The children from 8-11 must be downright petrified, they thought they were safe for another year at least.

A lot of my friends are now eligible _again_ thanks to Snow. Delly, for one, who just turned 19 last _week_, how must that feel to be free for a week only to find out you have one more reaping to attend, one more chance to be sent to your death. And Gale... Gale!

"Haymitch stay with Rosie I have to go talk to Gale, please?"Haymitch just nods, looking at Rosie strangely. Following his gaze, I notice Rosie looks as though shes taking this extremely well. I wonder if its because she is eligible for reaping now anyway.

I run to Gales house right off and only stop hurrying when I'm at his front door. Gale can't be reaped, he has a family to take care of, and I'll be volunteering anyway, but he must be scared at least.

Gales younger brother Rory answers the door and immediately calls for Gale who walks out of his living room with an oddly calm demeanor.

"I'm fine Rhys, really. Even if I get reaped I'll still win. Right Rory?" Rory nods and pumps his fist as Gale comes out of the door, closing him behind him.

We walk to the woods, me still surprised how well he's taking it, being eligible again. I guess he obviously has more guts than I give him credit for.

I start to think about Katniss. Her first mentoring job, and she has to mentor one of her best friends. I star to feel bad for her until I remember why I'm doing this, and my resolve is restored.

Gale says goodbye when we get to the saying he has to go to his family, so i slip under the fence alone, and breathe a sigh of relief at the sounds that envelope me as I walk under the trees. I already know Katniss will be here, most probably near the lake her father showed her and she sowed me and Gale.

I'm not wrong.

Katniss sits there, looking gorgeous in the moonlight, silent tears dripping down her face. I don't make her aware of my presence. She needs time to work through everything that's happened to her. Sometimes I wonder if she'll ever be able to think of things like Peeta and the love they shared and _smile _about it rather than cry. I know that's why she's crying, its nearly a year since he died.

When she's apparently cried herself out, she gets up up unsteadily and turns around, jumping when she sees me.

"Sorry Kat, just thought I'd let you know I'm here if you need anything." Katniss just looks at me, but it's not a blank stare, just sad. That's encouraging if anything. That's the first time she's ever really been able to not look blank, intentionally or not.

We walk to hers in a comfortable silence, then I bid her goodnight after double checking she's okay.

Reaping day. It's been a month since the reading of the card, and strange though it may be, I'm really not nervous, I know I probably should be, but I already know how the days going to play out.

Our new escort, Nairobi Flintlock, will welcome us, she will call some girls name from a bowl, and I will volunteer, we will say good bye, and get on a train. Easy.

Everything went smoothly, until the reaping itself.

We were all herded into age groups, oldest in the front, and had to watch the same stupid video about how we owe the Capitol for killing our children. When Nairobi only lets out the first 'welcome' when I get an idea on how to make impression.

She hasn't even finished the third welcome before I've stepped out of line, interrupting whatever she was saying.

I'm halfway up the steps, deliberately not looking at Katniss, when Nairobi asks me "Excuse me mister, what exactly are you doing?"

"I just figured we could save some time and not bother to reap the boys considering I'm a volunteering for this" I say with my most winning smile. Nairobi squeals excitedly, and I can see why, her first _ever _tribute is a stunning 18 year old who volunteered. She asks with a dazzling smile on her face "and whats your name dearie?"

"That would be Rhys Jacobs Miss Flintlock" I say with a wink. Multiple cries echo through the crowd, and I can tell who most of them belong to. Rosie is of course already at my side hugging me tightly as she sobs, and I wave off peacekeepers mouthing 'Back off she's my sister'. Another of the cries is of course Delly but I can't see her. There are multiple other women tearing up for me, just for my looks I guess. Everybody knows me here though and they give me the same three fingered salute they gave Katniss last year, and I give a quiet thank-you. Rosie stands off to the side and I hear one more dry sob. Looking behind me I see katniss in Haymitch's arms, who's whispering what I can only assume to be soothing words in her ear as she calms down fairly quickly and regains her composure.

Nairobi clears her throat, "and now for the girls!"

"Rosie Jacobs."

**A/N**

**DUN DUN DUN!**

**Preview for the next chapter**

**'I feel a hitch in my throat as I look up at the most breathtakingly yet subtly beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. She's small, very small but looks absolutely lethal. Her I'm going to want to know I think.'**

**If you have any questions feel free to ask!**


	4. Chapter 3: Tears, Trains, and tributes

**A/N**

**Hey guys as you can probably guess I'm trying to go for a chapter a day and REVIEWS ARE WELCOME**

Rosie Jacobs.

Those two words send gasps and cries through everyone in the square. This has never happened before in the entire history of the games, two siblings in the _same_ games. Everyone thinks it's a tragedy.

Not me though.

Where everyone else is in anguish, all I can feel is hatred. I feel for a moment that it's what my body is running on, not blood. Hatred for Snow, Hatred for the games, even hatred for Nairobi, even though it probably isn't her fault. Snow most likely made sure every slip had my sisters name on it.

Rosie hasn't even had a reaction, I don't think she wants people to know she cares. She simply steps away from me into the spot designated for the female tribute, a mask of indifference plastered on her face.

"Well, isn't this exciting!" Nairobi squeals. I think she might be channeling some of Effie trinkets spirit, who couldn't escort this year as in hospital after a bad head injury she sustained two days ago. Or at least that's what Haymitch says, he talks to her on the phone a lot.

Her statement causes rumbles in the crowd, and she seems to notice because she immediately adopts a more sombre expression and calls the mayor forward to read the Treaty of Treason, an integral and boring part of the ceremony.

Where the tributes would normally shake hands at this point, Rosie decides not to bother with it and just jumps into my arms. I hoist her up to carry her in one arm, waving goodbye to the square as we enter the justice building where we separate for our individual goodbyes. Just as we turn we see the crowd performing the three fingered salute we ourselves performed last year when Katniss volunteered.

I'm corralled into a luscious room where I wait for my first visitor.

I expect an embrace or something when I see my first visitor is Delly. What I do _not_ expect is a forceful slap across the face.

She jabs a finger into my chest accusingly, "Is this why we broke up?"

I might as well admit it so I nod, and when I do Delly's resolve crumbles and she launches herself into my arms, almost knocking me onto the floor had she been slightly heavier.

"J-Just promise me you- you'll try to win okay?" it's so ludicrous that she thinks I wouldn't that I laugh while nodding again.

She lets me go, nods slightly and leaves.

My next visitors are not unexpected but appreciated all the same.

"Rhys!" Primrose also knocks straight into me while Mrs. E pats my shoulders, the tears in her eyes falling almost as forcefully as Prim's, but no sobs escape her, which I'm grateful for.

"Shh, it's okay Prim" I try to soothe her but I might as well try jumping off the roof of the training center, which according to Katniss, has a force-field to stop tributes from doing so. Primrose will not stop sobbing so I just hold her and direct my attention to Mrs. E.

"Make sure to keep Prim out of trouble, and if Rosie and I are in a bad spot, don't let her watch, okay?" it's all I can say to the woman who is basically my mother now. She just nods and me a kiss on the forehead before they're ushered out and Gale barges in.

Gale just stares at me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Rhys?!" I'm taken aback that he has tears in his eyes just as my other visitors had done. He's usually so devoid of any emotion other than anger or frustration.

I want so badly to tell him why I volunteered but he'd probably go crazy in the loathing I'm only just managing to keep in check. So I shrug.

He laughs an empty laugh and stares directly through the door.

"This is going to kill her you know, if you die " It takes me a second to realize that he's talking about Katniss, and all of a sudden I'm furious with him, but I manage to keep my voice steady as I say, "Yeah, she's _obviously_ suffering the most, having to have to go into the games with her only direct family... _oh wait_, that's _me _and _Rosi_e, I feel _so _bad for _Katniss_ right now. Get out Gale." okay, so I don't know where that last part came from, but he immediately complies.

No one else comes to say goodbye so I let my face fall to look at what is obviously going to be my district token, Peeta's would-be engagement ring. My fingers glide over the engraving as they always do. It helps me keep my resolve, as it at least lets me know that if Rosie or I die, then we'll see our parents again.

As I leave the room and walk over to where Rosie and Haymitch are waiting hand-in-hand for me.

"Nairobi and Katniss went ahead to the train to get everything in order for the camera-people, so lets not keep 'em waiting."

I get my face arranged into a confident smile.

Rosie's emotional mask is back on now, and she's beaming at the cameras while at the same time my playful smirk is flashing in every direction. It's important that we appear at ease, sponsors eat that kind of stuff up. Rosie and I embrace again-half for us, half for the cameras-before stepping lightly onto the train.

We go into what seems like a living room and Haymitch leads us through it, directing us to our rooms. I immediately start to get changed, thinking hard.

It's a bit strange, I have no idea if I will die in the arena, nut I've been at peace with that since the age of 10. but Snow has gone back on his word, because no matter what happens now, my little sister has less than a month left to live, victor or not, because according to the agreement with Snow, if I lose, my sister goes with me. So here's the question I'm faced with.

Can I live without my little sister?

My immediate answer is no, of course not. But then I think some more about it.

I would be sad, definitely, but Rosie and I are siblings, so that's to be expected. But I've spent the better part of my life providing for the rest of 12 while paying little attention to Rosie, and she doesn't seem to mind, and surely Rosie would want me to win so I can keep doing what I do, because mine and Snows agreement is only that I can provide 12 with game if I volunteer. So if I do, and become the victor, I could still hunt legally, thus providing my people with a means out of starvation.

My sister or my district?

I choose not to think about that for the time being and instead finish getting changed and head out the door. I can hear Haymitch in Rosie's room and it sounds like her mask has finally slipped off, she's sobbing.

"Hey, calm down, shh, sweetie it'll be okay, I promise. Me and Rhys are gonna do everything we can to protect you in there, okay? You'll be fine, I promise." I can't listen to anymore, so I head to the living room, sitting with Katniss on the couch, who looks like she's been crying. Heavily. I scoot over to her and open my arms to her, she takes them silently.

We only break apart when the anthem comes on and Katniss goes to get Haymitch and Rosie, who walk in in remarkably cheerier moods.

The district 1 tributes are both volunteers like me, but neither are bigger. The girl was of pretty average height and flowing golden blonde hair down to her waist with bright green eyes. The sure looked mean, but was also quite normal in height and build. He had chestnut hair with a very very dark brown hue to his eyes, and he said their names for the both of them; she was Glimmer and he was called Marvel, they were both 18. I got the feeling they were at least classmates because they greeted each other quite cheerfully before being ushered into their justice building, which looked distinctly better than ours back home.

The others are chatting quietly about the two of while I'm waiting patiently for district 2, also known as the 'victors district' as they've had more victors than any other district. They would be my main opposition.

**I feel a hitch in my throat as I look up at the most breathtakingly yet subtly beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on volunteers as soon as the girls name is called. She's small, very small. Her eyes are the color of warm chocolate and her hair matches it, hair that reaches just past her shoulders and that's pulled a regular yet astonishingly gorgeous pony-tail. She has a confident grin splashed on her face that just enthralls me to no end. She announces that the games are going to have another female victor this year if she has anything to say about it and before I knew what was happening she blew a kiss at the camera and waved right at me, I think. She says her name is Clove Mitchell before turning to wait for the male tribute, grin still in place.**

I give a low whistle when I see the male volunteer. He's 21 so is the first tribute who is directly affected by the quell rules, as normally he wouldn't have been able to volunteer. He says his name is Drew and he is as tall as me but has a bigger build. He obviously has some kind of reputation because the escort, mentors and even Clove look uneasy near him. I instantly don't like him, but also instantly know he will be my main competition in these games.

I don't pay attention to district 3, still unnerved about the brutishness of Drew and the beauty of Clove so it's not until the male tribute of 4 that my attention is finally caught by the name being said on the screen.

"Frederick Odair!"

I hear Haymitch and Katniss let out moans and I know why. Frederick-im just gonna call him Freddie- is the younger brother of their fellow victor Finnick who I understand is a close friend of Haymitch's and Katniss must know him as well. Freddie is the second to be to old to normally participate, being 19. I think 19 and 11 are probably the worst ages to be right now considering you either only have one year of peace left or have only just managed to escape the reaping.

I see Freddie embrace his brother and I see a bit of my self there, and decide to see if he feels like teaming up at one point, like I will most definitely be doing with Clove.

District 5's girl is the first one that would normally be too young, as she's 9. my heart goes out to her family. Districts 6 is normal but 7 has a 10 year old boy. District 9 has 22 year old man, the oldest tribute so far, technically ever.

District 11 has another pair of tributes who are apparently close, as they hug each other instead of shaking hands just as Rosie and I did. 15 year old Skylar and 20 year old Luke look remarkably similar, but it is clear they are not related, at least closely anyway.

Our own reaping comes on and I have to laugh at the expressions on mine and Nairobi's faces. It's classic, me with a playful smirk and being polite and everything, and Nairobi squealing like a kid who got the candy she wanted. Then Rosie comes on the screen, running towards me, and one of the commentators starts sniffing and talking about family and love other sappy stuff. When Rosie's name is called and no one volunteers for her, I get a strange feeling of anger course through me, they just let a brother and sister go off to kill each other! The commentators of course are now full out bawling when we embrace instead of shaking hands and replacements come on as mandatory viewing ends.

The next morning I'm woken up by Nairobi pounding at the door. I quickly make way to the closet, pulling on some trouser but leaving my t-shirt where it is; ill be cleaned later by those 'prep teams' anyhow, so do I really care? No.

"Well, Well, look whose finally awake!" Haymitch motions to the seat next to him and I gratefully sit there, instantly beginning to gorge myself to the point of queasiness but not full on wanting to throw up. I decided this last night before I fell asleep; the longer I gorge myself here, the longer I'll be able to go without food those first couple of days in the arena, and that could be crucial.

When I still haven't said anything for a few moments, Rosie and Katniss start talking quietly about Rosie's skills, so I can only assume Haymitch will be my main mentor, which I was not really bothered by anyway as I know both of them know all my abilities as it is.

"Rhys, this afternoon when you get to the prep teams, it's imperative you let them do what they want, got it?" I'm surprised that he's being so direst but I guess this is just 'mentor Haymitch' so I don;t bother wondering about it, I just nod.

Rosie and I obviously make the crowd outside the train go nuts when we exit it, but aside from making sure they get pictures of my cheesy grin, I don't focus too much, if I must admit it, I'm a little nervous about the parade where the tributes, well, _parade_ around the capitol so people can get a mildly good look at us, because as everyone knows, good looking tributes get more sponsors.

I know I'm probably the second best looking guy here, or possibly the best, next to Freddie Odair but what I'm really nervous about happening Is meeting Portia, my stylist for the games.

Not only was she Peeta's stylist-and that will probably be awkward enough as it is-but she also set him on fire.

Not real fire of course but it sure looked real enough, and that was enough to make my skin crawl. Our parents died in a fire and all they can think about is how awesome fire looks on a person.

Oh well. It's not like I have a choice if I want sponsors, which obviously I do.

We see the prep team first, and I'm glad that unlike Rosie's prep team of Venia, Octavia and Flavius, who are so busy fawning over 'their _darling!_' Katniss, my prep team of Flora, Dora and Lora-triplet girls originally from district 8-are a little more down to earth and get to work right away, talking about what I personally would class as normal subjects and I find myself laughing when Dora almost faints as I take off my robe.

Soon, everything about my body is flawless, the skin even more golden and my eyes-my best feature apparently-have been emphasized so they're more noticeable but not obviously. My hair has been neatly combed over and slicked back with some weird goo I thought looked like blood but was actually called highlighter and now my hair has strands of red interlaced through the light blonde.

After the girls are finally gone I sit, waiting impatiently for Portia.

She finally arrives, a warm smile on her face as she sets straight to work, talking to me about my life.

We both avoid mentioning Peeta.

When I'm dressed, I notice my outfit looks similar to Peeta's and Katniss's from last year, except mine is bright orange in the middle and turns blood red as it gets closer the sleeves and collar.

Like my eyes.

I have a hunch as to what Portia and Rosie's stylist Cinna are going to do but I keep my mouth shut, because if it is what I think it is, it's going to make an even bigger splash than Katniss did last year as the 'girl on fire'.

**A/N**

**So how do you think I'm doing?**

**Preview for chapter 4:**

**When I look over there, I see a vast array of weapons never seen before in the games, one immediately catches my attention and I speed off towards it, knocking into a small girl in my hurry, and quickly look down to see who it is.**

**Crap, this is embarrassing."**

**Heh, heh who do you think it is**

**please R+R!**


	5. Chapter 4: LOTS OF CLOVE STUFF

**A/N**

**Hey guys, I don't have much to say but thought id say hi!**

When we get to the bottom floor of the training center, where the tributes wait for the parade to story, I'm immediately introduced to Cinna. He's chatting amiably to Rosie and Katniss, and I'm struck by his appearance straight away. And by that, I mean his lack of the capitol fashion trends aside from the glint of gold eyeliner which makes his eyes stand out.

When he spots me, he rushes over to take my hand in a firm grip. "Nice to meet you Rhys, I must say though, I feel like I know you already. Katniss often talked about you last year and on the victory tour, and Rosie seems to think you will be this years victor!"

a flood of sadness washes over my body. Rosie has already accepted her death, and knowing her like I do, and judging by the look on her face as she stares around, she's simply making the most of the capitol until she gets sent to the arena. I quietly excuse my self from Cinna and walk away.

Looking at the other tributes I cant help but grin; aside from the careers and ourselves, all of the tributes look ridiculous. District 7 are dressed as trees, like always. District 10 are quite _literally_ dressed in cow skin, if the smell if anything to go from. They're obviously trying to be authentic, but I cant bet but almost retch., and the tributes themselves look ready to vomit. District 11 are stark naked apart from straw hats and some kind of underwear that looks thatched from real rue flowers. I think that must be a tribute to Rue, the young girl Katniss allied with last year. However, the career districts look _almost_ as good as we will when we're set alight. District 1 are shimmering in different layers of different jewels, definitely an eye-catcher. District 4 are dressed as warriors of the sea, with bare torsos and some kind of dark green mesh trousers. I catch Freddie Odair's eye and smirk at his ease with being half naked in front of his ogling district partner. Aqua I think her name is. I finally catch sight and almost punch something when I see district 2.

Clove, beautiful and confident Clove is dressed as a roman courtesan. That is to say, a whore. I refuse to even think about how attractive she is while she's wearing that. I'd feel disgusting, it's quite degrading really. I think I'll have word with her stylist.

I start to make my way over there but I'm stopped by Marvel, the boy from district 1.

"Hey man, nice to meet you, I'm Marvel Deecee, district 1, you're Rhys Jacobs, district 12 right?"

I decide I might as well start to meet my fellow tributes so I shake his hand firmly. "yeah that's right, nice to meet you".

"You too man, look, you look like you could be a career, the way you're built so I just had to ask. Can you throw a spear?" my eyes widen at his question. That was not what I expected at all, to be honest, I'm not really sure what I was expecting. Probably some hard ass who was going to try and intimidate me, but Marvel seems... friendly, so I reply with a confident smile in place "No, but if you want to teach me tomorrow, I can show you how to shoot a bow, throw a knife, set a snare, start a fire, swing a sword, use an axe, or climb like a monkey, deal?"

I laugh at the over joyous expression on Marvels face. I don't think he expected me to reciprocate his friendly attitude, him being from 1, but at the end of the day, I've never cared where anyone was from, because we're all human, and humans can be pleasant. Sometimes.

"Thanks, but I wasn't offering a deal, I was only offering my _help_, and if we're gonna be in an alliance, we probably shouldn't be too similar in our skills, you know, so we have variation." Huh? I'm with him? I wasn't intending on starting any alliances, apart from Rosie, but that goes unsaid. I guess it couldn't hurt to have some back-up in there, but I need something from him first.

"So I'm in your alliance?" He laughs as he nods, but I continue anyway,"Well if you want me, you'll have to have Rosie too, because I will _not _leave her." Marvel has stopped laughing now, but he looks quite sympathetic for me and replies with"I don't see any problem with it, but I'll have to talk with Clove and Glimmer, and she'll have to contribute. Can she do anything?"

"First aid" I reply straight away, as I know he will find her healing skill invaluable, as very few careers bother with learning it. As I thought he would, his eyes immediately light up and he waves kindly as he goes to talk to Glimmer. I continue to make my way to Clove, my heart beating slightly quicker the closer I get to her.

She notices me a few feet away and steps away from her mentor, quickly walking towards me.

"Hi I'm Rhys Jacobs, 12" I don't know why I said that, she probably knows who I am through the recaps of the reapings.

"Clove, 2, and I've got to say Rhys, that was some volunteering, I don't think I've ever seen one like it." I'm pleasantly surprised that she approves, I guess I thought she would be mad that I upstaged her own. I really need to stop making assumptions about the careers.

"Yeah well, I had decided to volunteer for the quell when I was 10," her eyes widen, "so I had a lot of time to plan it". She looks at me with those beautiful brown orbs, and I can see the confusion in them. "10?" I nod, and she looks upset for some reason. But before I have time to ponder it, I notice her stylists walking towards us.

"Clove? Which stylist is yours?" I ask quite innocently, but I think she already knows where I'm going with this and reaches her arm out as if to restrain me.

I feel her hand on me and we both instantly freeze, feeling the electricity between us where her hand lays on my forearm. She removes her hand slowly, looks down with red cheeks and quietly say"the shorter one, but you don-!" too late. I've already walked the length of the space between us and punched her stylist in the jaw.

"What the fuck have you put her in? She's a girl, not a fucking prostitute!" I almost yell, drawing every tribute, mentor and stylist in the room. I look over my shoulder. Haymitch is laughing his head off, Rosie just looks at my hand, which is growing red. Cinna and Portia are trying to hide their smiles, maybe they know this stylist. Katniss is looking shocked. Freddie and his older brother and mentor Finnick, who I hadn't noticed was there until then, are grinning appreciatively, and Marvel and Glimmer, like Haymitch, are clutching their stomachs in laughter.

Clove, although she's obviously trying to hide it, looks grateful and embarrassed at the same time. She quietly walks over to me and hugs me, her arms snaking around my neck.

I'm momentarily shocked at our closeness, but quickly get over it and reciprocate, my arms going straight around her waist, my head resting on top of hers. We stay like this for about 10 seconds before we realize where we are, stepping quickly away. Before I can leave however, she kisses me on the cheek, making fireworks erupt in my body, quietly says '"thank you" and goes back to her team, blushing furiously. And if the look on Haymitch's face when I get back, I know I must be too.

I quietly look behind me again at Clove, who's still blushing, staring right at me, I offer a smile which she returns. This earns her a rough shove from Drew, who is dressed as a gladiator. It takes all of my restraint not to go and beat all hell out of him. Punching a stylist is one thing, but tributes are not allowed to fight, and besides, I can already see Drew being reprimanded for it. I don't think Clove knows I saw it.

I deliberately try and avoid the topic with my team, and say loudly "So what's so special about these costumes anyway?"

this seems to break everyone out of their smirks and laughter, and they immediately go to answer my question.

These suits are designed to compliment each other, and specifically outdo last years.

Our suits are the same colors of pour own eye, mine red and orange, Rosie's green and blue. But our flames will be the color of _each_ _others _ eyes, my flame being green and blue, and Rosie's red and orange. The flames will be bigger and more ferocious than last years as well, stretching 5 and a half feet apparently. That means Rosie's flame will be taller than her.

We hear the the sound of the announcer telling us to get into our chariots, which we do, but I have a last minute idea.

"Wait, Portia, spray both of the flames on a half of Rosie's body!" I quickly kneel down to them and whisper my idea. They immediately cheer and do as I say. I see Haymitch looking at me funny. I wink at him and look for Katniss. She's conversing quietly with Finnick Odair, and it makes me smile when he kisses her, because no matter about Peeta, Katniss deserves happiness after all she's been through and I know Peeta would want her to be happy anyway.

I put my plan into action as soon as Rosie is set alight. I motion for her to climb onto my back piggy back style and she doesn't hesitate. Now we look amazing with the flames _and _ the image we're putting across, two siblings that couldn't be happier to be here together, even though-at least in my case- we're not.

As I expected, the crowd goes absolutely crazy when they see us, and Rosie and I cheer and wave and smile and blow kisses until all the other tributes are being ignored and everyone is screaming our names, or more accurately, screaming "The Jacobs! The Jacobs!" over and over.

When we get to the square in front of the presidential mansion, I can see for the first time, what I think ti be a genuine smile on Snows face. I don't need to pretend I don't know why, I'm holding up my end of the bargain by basically outshining everyone and everything by the show I'm putting on.

Snow starts his spiel about the hunger games and the Quarter Quell while I look around at my fellow tributes again. My eyes find clove straight away, three chariots down. She's staring straight at me with a smile on her face as well, but her smile I feel like I could melt into, and I smile back causing her to blush and look down. I can't believe I'm making the girl from district 2 _blush_.

My eyes find Drew's next, and as expected, he's livid at me upstaging him. If I wasn't here it would probably be him everyone was cheering for. But surely that can't be all he's mad at, but I cant think of any other reason at the moment, maybe I'll ask Clove later. Apparently, or at least according t Haymitch, because it's a quell, the tribute get a party room where they can spend their nights unless they're needed somewhere else, like their beds. Tributes aren't allowed to spend the entire night there, only until 1 am, which is pretty generous knowing the early risings of the tributes for training.

My eyes find Marvel next, who has a knowing look on his face as he glances between me and Clove, who's still blushing. Dammit Marvel stop assuming things, even though I can't exactly say she wasn't _all_ I was thinking about during the parade.

Freddie is just showing off his chest for the cameras, causing me to have to stifle a laugh as the girl tribute next to him looks close to fainting.

Eventually, Snow finally says something that catches my attention.

"As the rules state one special surprise is to be rewarded every Quell. So this year, on the second morning of training, every tribute will have injections. Now these injections are special enhancements that have been specifically designed to bond with their contestants blood, samples of which we obtained at this years reaping. The enhancements are all very different from one another, and each tribute will receive 2 of 5 injections on the second morning of training, after choosing what they would like the night before. The tributes will not know what the injections include until that time. That is all, goodnight Panem, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

with that startling announcement, cheers erupt around us as we are pulled back into the training center.

As we get out and walk to the elevators, I notice Clove and Drew waiting for the one next to us. I glare at Drew before winking at Clove who, surprisingly doesn't blush but winks back, causing me to blush this time. She laughs, but not in a mean way before getting into her elevator behind Drew.

Haymitch just sighs at me, mumbling something about not again, Katniss just laughs at my blush. Rosie looks at em weirdly, as if I was a piece at a museum. I suppose it has been a while since Rosie has seen me being so obviously flirty with someone. Cinna and Portia seem perfectly unfazed.

Rosie and I immediately go into our assigned rooms to get changed. I don't know what Rosie is doing, but I make myself look as nice as possible so I can go to the 'party room', where hopefully I can see Clove. Jeez did I, Rhys Jacobs, just think that? I've never actively sought out a girl before. What has she done to me?

I call to the others as I leave, heading up 1 flight of stairs to the room, which is eerily quiet.

I walk in and notice it is noticeably less furnished than our own rooms, but still nicer than anything I'd seen in 12. there was a large TV on the back wall, a bar near the door, and a lot of tables, chairs and sofa's.

I go to the bar and order a large glass of a red drink I've never had before, something called a cranberry juice, and it's bitter but has one of the most heavenly tastes I've ever experienced.

I'm in the room alone for about ten minutes when the boy from 5 walks in, stares at me with something skin to fear, and scurries to the other end of the room after getting a glass of water. Before I can begin to wonder why he's terrified of me, I hear Marvel yell my name from behind me.

He walks over with Glimmer in tow, who's eying me suspiciously but doesn't look particularly cautious about approaching me so I can assume Marvels has spoken to her about me.

"Nice to meet you Rhys, I'm Glimmer Faith, 1" she doesn't bother with the handshake but instead kisses me on the cheek. It doesn't make my body erupt but it was still nice. "Nice to meet you to Glimmer, and if your at least half as friendly as Marvel is, we'll get along fine." Glimmer smiles and grabs herself a drink while Marvel rounds on me, mock anger being betrayed by the amused glint in his eyes. "What do you mean 'half as nice'?" I laugh, and Marvel does to, and I can already tell we're friends instead of people from districts 1 and 12, which have inherent dislike for each other. Come to think of it I don't know why either.

"Just that you're probably the nicest guy here, and it's already becoming a better place by your mere presence in it" I gave a mocking bow and Marvel punches my shoulder the way Gale does, like a brother.

"Alright guys enough, I'd like to get a word in edgeways please?" we both look at Glimmer who, although sounding angry is smiling behind her glass. Why do people hate 1? they're great people!

"Marvel said something about you in our alliance?" she says with an air of no longer suspicion but genuine curiosity around her. "Ask him Glimmer I'm waiting to find out myself" We both look to Marvel who clears his throat before speaking to Glimmer directly.

"Well we are already two careers short this year, he knows more than we do about actual survival, and he's great to be around, need I say more?" He looks triumphant as Glimmer stares at me, opened mouthed, amazement in her eyes. "but, Rhys how do you know so much?" She asks and I inwardly groan, knowing this question was coming, but what the hell? If I can get away with the president of our country knowing about it, then do can my new friends.

"I hunt outside the district to feed the poorer people who are quite literally dieing of starvation every day, or at least were" I've surprised them yet again yet again, but a voice behind them that I can't see the source of says quietly "it doesn't matter anyways, he's o n the team and I don't care if he can hold hold 200 kilos or not even 50" the voice steps out from behind Marvel.

It's Clove, and again she's blushing furiously but has a small smile on her face that makes my heart skip, and I vaguely register blushing myself before saying "thank you" and giving her a quick handshake to seal the deal.

I'm a career.

And it's funny, but I don't think I've ever felt this at home in all my life; Glimmer and Marvel ribbing Clove and me about our constant blushes, and Clove casually slipping closer and closer to my side until we're almost touching.

After about 20 minutes of banter, a tiny hand is tugging at my hand. I look down and see Rosie looking cute I a black dress that is just modest enough. I have an inkling Portia may have picked it out.

I scoop Rosie onto my lap, as we're now sitting down on two sofas, and she snuggles into my neck, causing Glimmer to say "awww" and Clove to say "hi" to her, as though unsure she was safe.

"Guys, this is Rosie, my district partner and... sister" Even though she probably knew already, Glimmer lets out a small cry and Marvel pat my shoulder, looking possibly more upset than Glimmer does. Clove is unfazed as she wasn't listening, instead quietly stroking Rosie's leg and whispering quietly to her, causing my sister to giggle, whisper something back that causes Clove to turn alarmingly red. Marvel, Glimmer and I laugh, the former two back to normal, causing Clove to look at them before locking eyes with me.

Our previous interaction seem nothing in comparison to this eye-contact and I think its because we're in a more comfortable atmosphere. We continue to stare into each others eyes until who else but Freddie Odair interrupts us by plonking down on the other side of Glimmer and stretching to shake hands with me.

"Fred Odair, but I guess you know that right? I know who you are Rhys, and I've got to admit, I'm very impressed, you made more of a splash with your sister there than Katniss and Peeta last year , or my brother in his Games, and that's saying something ." I'm impressed with his directness but he doesn't seem to be a bad person, so I shakes his hand and mutter under my breath so only he can hear me "if you want to talk about Katniss and Peeta, do it when my sisters not around please" he looks confused I just do all I need to. I point at Rosie, who's shaking in my lap with wide eyes.

Rosie hated talking about the Games at the best of times, but especially now that Peeta was one of it's victims and Katniss is still tormented nearly every night. Rosie stand up, announcing she's going to the bathroom. I have a funny feeling she thinks we're going to carry on talking about the Games, which I find strangely funny, as her being gone is the only reason we _do _continue to talk about it.

"Okay, what was with her Rhys? She looked like she was about to have a fit!" Freddie actually looks so genuinely sorry I pity almost pity him.

"Okay, this stays between us until after the interviews okay?" they all nod, transfixed", Katniss was my best friend growing up,"They gasp, understandable "ha. That's not even the worst part, who do you think introduced the two in the first place?" Glimmer puts her hand to mouth, figuring it out before the other three, who just look befuddled, "Peeta was my cousin, he-" I have to stop my words as two sets of arms embrace me tightly. Clove and Glimmer, who is crying silently onto my shirt.

Glimmer quickly gets off me, apologizing for soaking my shirt, I just shrug it off. But Clove continues to hold me, not crying but breathing heavily as if she's about to start. She doesn't make a move other than to adjust so she's more comfortable and I don't move at all. Our embrace is sending fuzzy feeling through my body and eventually it's just Clove. Clove and the feel of her heartbeat against my chest as we both continue to squeeze tighter, Closer together.

No one interrupts us as I pull her off me. She gazes at me with such sad eyes when I pull away, obviously not realizing I'm pulling her towards the makeshift dance floor the other tributes made.

When we reach it, Clove having finally understood what I'm doing, wraps her arms around my neck again, now smiling slightly against my chest which is where her head is. My hands go to her hips as I sway her in time with the music.

"Are you okay Clove?"

"I am now"

I don't wonder why she wasn't happy before, instead just focus on the effect this girl is having on me.

I finally reach my room, but I'm way too wired to sleep, so I just put on a jacket before heading to the rooftop garden Katniss told me about. I keep reliving the events the might, from my revelation to when I reluctantly said goodbye to Clove and my now fellow careers as I had to take Rosie up to bed, as after coming out of the bathroom fell asleep soon after Marvel, Glimmer and Freddie went to sit with her. As I left Clove gave me another kiss on the cheek and this time I responded by a kiss on her forehead, leaving us both blushing deeply _again_. We never stopped dancing until then, either.

I'm so preoccupied with my thoughts I never noticed I had company.

"You should be in bed, kid"

Haymitch walks out from under the shade. he had clearly been waiting for me.

"Hey, Haymitch, whats up?" I greet him as I always do, but Haymitch looks to be in a very bad mood and I have no idea why, unless...

"2 is mad. Kid, because of what you did to their stylist" Haymitch doesn't sound angry, on the contrary, he looks about ready to start laughing, and this surprises me. "Okay, what can they do about it though?" I really am quite curious to know.

"Just don't trust their tributes, especially the boy, in fact no, _only _the boy, I can see you have no problem with the girlie" Haymitch smirks but carries on, "Brutus-the kids mentor- is as scared of him as I've ever seen him, so here's what do: Stay away from him, only engage in conversation that pertains to training unless he starts it, if he does, kick his ass with that mouth you got" that makes me smile, especially since Haymitch has a proud note in his voice" And secondly, and this is even more important; _keep him away from Rosie_."

I'm confused now, what's Rosie got o do with me annoying him?

Apparently Haymitch senses my confusion because he explains himself "Apparently Drew has an extremely bad reputation in 2, as someone who likes to-er-_play_ with children, if you get my drift. But he's always let off because his dad-who also happens to be head peacekeeper in 2- cut a deal with Snow years ago, when Drew's older brother was sentenced to life for the murder of 2's escort when he got reaped.. it was all hushed up, but apparently Drew doesn't care if his mentor knows. He boated about it according to Brutus."

I nod numbly. Drew can't try anything until the Games and I already got Rosie into the career pack so I'm not really that worried. I'm thinking about Clove on that floor with him, and can only hope that he realizes there's CCTV cameras in every room, so it's too likely he'd get caught.

With that thought keeping me mollified, I go to my room and am asleep before my head even reaches the pillow.

I wake up to the sound of Haymitch yelling at m to get up lest I be late for training, so I quickly hop into the shower, eat and leave before anyone bothers me. I like that I know my mentors personally and that they won't be offended because it's just how I have always been, wanting to get the day the day started.

Only Freddie and his district partner are in their, facing away from each other. I go to Freddie.

"Hey man whats up with moody over there" I say, pointing at aqua. Freddie just shrugs and says "She's jealous of me and Glimmer, she thinks we're you know, together, and I told her she was barmy but she doesn't believe me, and eventually she got so mad at me for winding her up she rejected the careers, wants to go it alone, so I let her, because to be honest, she's pretty much useless to us anyway, all she can do is swim!" we're both laughing at the end of his speech, earning us a death glare fro aqua which just makes us laugh harder.

"What's so funny?" Clove, Glimmer, Rosie and Marvel are all here now, staring down at us with varying degrees of amusement on there face.

"I was just telling Rhys why we're one short" Freddie points at Aqua as I continue to laugh.

About 5 minutes later, Clove and I stand with an arm around each others waists. How we got like this I have no idea but I like it, and her small smile tells me she is too. I have no idea how I can read her so easily.

"wait, you said one short, so I'm guessing Drew is going alone as well" I say casually, but there's a small intake of breath around us as I say Drews name.

"Even if he wanted in ,we still would have said no, all the stories about him in 2 are true apparently" Clove confirms my suspicions but I still need to ask.

"He-He didn't try something with you did he?" my voice is slightly broken as spin Clove to face me and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Rhys, I'm fine, okay? He couldn't do anything even if he tried, I'd knee him in the balls first!" I laugh, glad to know my girl is treated right, even by criminals. Wait, did I just think of Clove as my girl? I gotta stop wit that, it makes things awkward. But as Clove spins so her back's to my chest and puts my arms around her waist lightly before gripping my holding my hands in her own, I can't help but want her to be my girl. Anything that we've done so far just fees so natural and I never want to stop doing it.

While Atala says we have to take three compulsory exercises I tense, obviously Clove could feel it because she squeezes me a bit tighter. However when she says the exercises we have to do are a stamina run, a climbing frame, and a hand to hand combat session, I let out a chuckle of relief. Luckily, Clove and Rosie are the only ones who hear me.

I finish the stamina course first, with quite a bit of breath to spare. Followed by Freddie and then Drew, who is bright red with humiliation after he went on and on about how no one could ever outrun him before we started.

On the climbing wall, I come second, just loosing to Glimmer and narrowly beating Clove, who kisses me on the cheek again as we both get down; she was convinced she'd fall and I helped her feel better before we started.

I come second again in the hand to hand combat session, this time loosing to Drew, though only narrowly. He had all the younger tributes terrified apart from Rosie as he swung his huge arms in a series of complicated movements, beating four attendants unconscious before he thought he had proved his point enough. Even I was impressed.

Then once we got to normal training as Clove went straight to the knives, but not before I kissed her on the forehead again; it was becoming our thing, I guess.

So I went with Glimmer to the fire-starting station, where the trainer looked very pleased to have two tributes at once, two careers even. so when i showed her i could just about do everything when it came to fires, she showed me how to start a fire in the rain, just for something to do. we both stayed at that station until Glimmer had mastered both match and wood fires, when i went to go join Marvel at spear throwing.

I took to it immediately, though Marvel wasn't surprised, seeing as I was even stronger that he was, and I t only really took strength and aim, which I got from the bow and knives I had.

When I'm walking to see Clove at the knives, a small table in the corner of the room catches my eyes, one labeled 'specialty weapons'. I grab Clove and practically drag her over there.

The weapons are like nothing we've ever seen. There is a mace that, at the click of a button, turns into a trident by having the three blades point up instead of down. I'll have to show Freddie that. There are a set of knives that Clove is eying that at first glance show nothing particular, but when I look again, I see all of the knives have different colored strips running down the middle of the blades. Poison, the blades are hollowed and filled with poison that comes out when slashed, making something as simple as a graze deadly.

My eyes catch a weapon unlike any other on the table, it is a glove with a deadly claw attached. A button on the side allows it to be shot straight from the hand, and the other button retrieves it due to to a rope that comes out with the claw. It's name is in Latin; _manum dæmoni, _which I ask one of the attendants what it means; _devils hand_. I like this thing and I will not stop until I get it in the games.

Another weapon that catches my eye is a peculiar looking sword that has two blades parallel on the hilt, but upon closer inspection, I split the sword down to the hinges that form a nook for an arrow I might want to use. I will have these weapons.

After the day is done, I go upstairs for the final task of the day; picking my 'gifts'.

A doctor is waiting in my room, five needles on a table in front of him. He briefly explains that they are:

enhanced senses (hearing, sight, and smell)

enhanced physical capabilities (strength, speed and endurance)

daemon (an animal that show's your true strength, can feel each others moods and will never leave you, can bond for increased capabilities, capabilities depend on animal, bonding can cause night terrors if bond is broken, can only bond for a certain amount of time, depends on endurance )

anti-virus(protection from all infection, viruses and parasites, effectively can only die from natural causes e.g. starvation or physically wounded, never infection)

biotics (ability to manipulate dark energy within your body, multitude of capabilities that include levitation, singularities and a warp field that can rip a human with no Armour to shreds)

Wow. That's all I can really say, Wow. It doesn't take me long to decide though, I know who am.

"Enhanced senses and Daemon"

I fall asleep, only a dull ache in my arm.

**A/N**

**whew! Took me about 6 and a half hours to get right but so worth it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the concept of 'daemon's they are from the golden compass film and whatever book it's in, but I have made and will be making a few alterations to them, most notably, the being able to talk telepathically**

**Preview for next chapter:**

"**I'm your daemon, idiot"**

**ooh he sounds pretty snarky to me **

**please R+R!**


	6. Authors Note Please Read!

**A/N**

**Hi guys! Sorry for not posting over the weekend, nut this is gonna be my after school work from now on, so my weekends are free, hope it doesn't inconvenience you too much.**

**Seriously guys, would you mind reviewing? I have no idea how this story is being received so I don't know whether or not to just quit and start the next one I have in mind, which by the way will be either a cloveness, cleeta or an SYOT Quarter Quell with clove's point of view (I LOVE CLOVE DEAL WITH IT)**


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